By Mark Ratzky, publicity –
Cal Expo Harness
The California Harness
Horseman’s Association is proud to announce that Robin Burns and the late pacer
Hi Ho Silverheels will be inducted into the California Harness Racing Hall of
Fame on Sunday.
“What a terrific honor,” said
Burns. “To be mentioned in the same breath as Joe O’Brien, Pres Jenuine, Jim
Dennis and the other members is really beyond comprehension.
“I can’t thank enough the
members of the selection committee for their unanimous vote.”
A native of Niagara Falls,
NY, Robin attended the University of Miami (Fla.) and The Columbia School of
Broadcasting.
Burns first came to the
attention of California fans as the announcer at Hollywood Park and also
handled those duties at Los Alamitos and here at Cal Expo.
He has also been the voice at
harness tracks The Meadowlands, Freestate Raceway, Rosecroft Raceway,
Louisville Downs, The Red Mile and Midwest Harness. His thoroughbred announcing
has seen him calling the races at Laurel Park, Pimlico and currently Presque
Isle.
Burns estimates he has called
over 80,000 races, including several broadcast on ESPN and CBS, including the
Breeder’s Crown, Maryland Million and Washington D.C. International.
Robin’s extensive resume has
seen him serve as director of racing, director of simulcasting, consultant to
the Macau Trotting Club, steward, starter, morning line maker and simulcast
host.
He helped launch the TVG
Network while serving as director of traffic and simulcasting and as on-air
host and analyst. His other television credits include hosting Racing from The
Meadowlands on the Madison Square Garden Network; Winning at Rosecroft on Home
Team Sports in Washington, D.C. and Harness Hoofbeats on Channel 9 in Los
Angeles.
In addition, Robin has lent
his voice to the Hollywood movies “On the Right Track” and “Little Miss
Marker”.
Also being inducted this year
into the Hall of Fame this week is the late pacer Hi Ho Silverheels.
Hi Ho
Silverheels was a brilliant racehorse, earning just shy of $1.2 million with a
1:49 4/5 mark, and also proved to be one of the more influential harness racing
stallions in the history of California breeding.
A member of
the class of 1991, Hi Ho
Silverheels was by Walton Hanover out of the Abercrombie mare Armbro Caprice. “He
wasn’t bred in California, but he was foaled here and he’s the best we’ve ever
produced,” said Wayne Knittel, who stood the stallion.
In his
racing days, Hi Ho
Silverheels was scintillating to watch. Rick Kuebler drove him in
all his California starts and was also at the controls when he competed in the
Dan Patch at Indiana Downs.
“He was the
most gifted equine athlete I ever sat behind,” Kuebler stated.
“He had the unique combination of high speed and the capability to
carry it. He routinely paced miles in 1:51 and change at Los Alamitos and I
felt that on a good day he would break the 1:50 barrier.
“There was
a period in his career where you could have matched him up against the nine
other best horses in the world and he would have been the odds-on favorite. He
was that impressive.”
Robert Staats Final,
Open Pace headline
Lickcreek Speedway looms the
overwhelming favorite in Saturday night’s $9,600 Robert Staats Final, while Icy
Blue Scooter gets top billing in the in the co-featured $7,000 Open Pace.
Watch and Wager LLC will
present 12 races and the action gets underway at 6:10 p.m with the Staats going
as the sixth event and Open Pace occupying the eighth race slot on the evening.
Lickcreek Speedway was sent
off the 3-5 chalk in last week’s Robert Staats Prep and made it look like a
belated Xmas gift as she romped home by four and a half-lengths over the sloppy
track.
A 4-year-old daughter of Sand
Shooter, the bay mare goes about her business for owner Jennifer Scarberry with
James Kennedy reining and training. Her other victory at the meeting came in
the Annette Funicello Prep in late November.
Taking her on Saturday, from
the rail out: Dancer’s Fancy with Dean Magee; Glad to Meet Ya, Luke Plano;
Lookslikewemadeit, Steve Wiseman; Damoricdalesno, Nathan Sobey; and Brigitte
Bordeaux, who will be guided by Mooney Svendsen.
Icy Blue Scooter is coming
off a pair of dominating Open Pace scores for driver/trainer Nathan Sobey, who
also co-owns the 6-year-old son of Blue Burner with Diane Bertrand and Robert
Gilhespy.
Sent off the 8-5 chalk in
last week’s top dance, Icy Blue Scooter came first over at the half, engaged
the leader into the lane and then came home smartly in :27 1/5 to seal the deal
by two and a quarter-lengths with Sobey at the helm.
